Mission Control Podcast

Dive into this episode of Mission Control as Paul Schmidt interviews Louise Montag, Director of the Prevention Network. Discover her unique journey from aspiring ER physician to public health leader, her advocacy for substance misuse prevention, and the impactful work being done. For more on Prevention Network: https://www.preventionnetwork.org/ The Mission: To cultivate healthy communities across...

Join us on Mission Control as we chat with Luke Forrest about his journey in community economic development, navigating crises, and driving policy changes! Leave your thoughts below! For more on CEDAM: https://cedamichigan.org/ The Mission: CEDAM is a statewide coalition committed to community and economic development. It builds members’ capacity, amplifies their voices, and leverages resources to...

Welcome back to Mission Control, the podcast focusing on executive directors and non-profit leaders making positive impacts. Hosted by Paul Schmidt, owner and creative video strategist of UnoDeuce Multimedia. In this episode, we welcome Lauren from Aspire. She shares the mission to educate, equip, and empower individuals for better choices and healthy relationships. Learn about her journey from as...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Aaryn Richard, former director of marketing and communications at the Michigan State University Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. We spoke about insights into his journey, the mission of the Burgess Institute, and the evolving communication landscape. TO NOTE: This interview was recorded in the spring, and Aaryn has since moved...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Cathleen Edgerly, executive director of Downtown Lansing Inc. We discussed the challenges and innovative solutions during the pandemic, personal reflections on leadership, and the importance of community perception and individual well-being. For more on Downtown Lansing Inc: https://www.downtownlansing.org/ The Mission: To nurture and cultivate the...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Joe Garcia, executive director of Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties, which was formerly known as Cristo Rey Community Center and St Vincent Catholic Charities. We discuss the management of both nonprofits, collaboration with other nonprofit partners, and entering the nonprofit world from a fresh perspective. For more on Catho...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Tameka Citchen-Spruce, LEAD co-director of the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. We discuss her early start in advocacy work, how visual storytelling spoke to her, and her mentorship with Kamau Bell. For more on the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition: http://www.mymdrc.org The Mission: To cultivate disability pride and strengthen the disabilit...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Jenn Dubey, operations manager of the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan. We discuss our long history of working together in different areas, how career transitions challenge us, and why gardening perfectly mirrors how we move through our career paths. For more on 4 AMI: https://4ami.org/ The Mission: Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are ex...

Our owner welcomes you back into the control center as we gear up the launch to season 4 of our podcast, Mission Control. Check this short preview out as we highlight who our first few guests are. The new season begins in May and you can subscribe to it on your favorite podcasting platform.

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Kristine Kuhnert, director of Ele's Place Capital Region. We talk about her background working with the Mayo Clinic, how she was able to keep forging ahead during the time when her husband passed away, and the real impact of Ele's Place as a true partner in the healing process. For more on Ele's Place: https://www.elesplace.org/ The Miss...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Emily Marrah, development associate/relationship specialist with the United Way of Genesee County. We talk about the versatility of being a relationship specialist, her extensive history in the hospitality industry, and her latest venture with the Small Business Development Center of Michigan. For more on the United Way of Genesee County:  https://w...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Julie Powers, former executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. We talk about how crucial the work of the foundation is to helping get treatment options for mesothelioma, why her theater background equipped her for the turbulent situations in non-profit leadership , and the biggest misconception of what it means to be an exe...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Rebecca Johnson, executive director of Todd Martin Youth Leadership. We talk about working for and with a famous founder, how the organization isn't about competing with organized group sports, and why they are working toward building their own facility and what that will look like for the future. For more on Todd Martin Youth Leadership: https:...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Ben Schartow, founder and executive director of Building Twentyone. We talk about the unique meaning behind the name and how he lives it out, redefining the programming aspects to fit today's teen culture, and how the devastation of the skate park aspect after the building fire makes way for more unique opportunities in the future. For more on B...

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Scott Watkins, Senior Director of Business Strategy for Michigan Virtual. We chat about creating and developing opportunities professionally and personally, how digital learning was necessary for everyone overnight during the pandemic, and how online learning has been normalized in it's current form going forward. For more on Michigan Virtual: h...

In this episode we talk with Tanesha Ash-Shakoor the founder/CEO of Voices of Color. We talk about how victims are perceived, balancing the non-profit work with being a full-time attorney, and the difficulty in hitting capacity during COVID. For more on Voice of Color: https://www.voicesofcolor.org/ The mission of Voices of Color is to educate and prevent domestic violence for all races, ages, sex...

In this episode we talk with Rachel Swedburg the executive director of CASA for Kids, Inc Barrie, Eaton, & Ingham Counties. We talk about starting her position right when the pandemic hit, knowing that the mission of the work is not dependent on centralized office, and what she sees as her legacy leading CASA to be more of a public facing organization. For more on CASA for Kids, Inc.: http://w...

-In this episode we talk with Meghan Martin the executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. We talk about her having a musical theatre background, learning how to do the role from her predecessor and how awesome her current team is and how they kept things together through the pandemic. For more on the Arts Council of Greater Lansing: https://www.lansingarts.org/ The mission of the...

The second episode of season 3 is with Erik Larson, the executive director of Impression 5 Science center. He talks about the difference being a science center as opposed to a museum, his long history of employment at I5, and what his favorite exhibits have been over the years. . For more on Impression 5: https://impression5.org The mission of Impression 5 is to discover and explore science with i...

Our kickoff interview for season 3 is Mallory DePrekel, the executive director of Communities in Schools of Michigan. She talks about the benefit in growing up in a bilingual high school, how interconnected the different branches of Communities in Schools are across the country, and how the changing landscape of education is addressed. For more on Communities in Schools of Michigan: https://cismic...

Mission Control is in it's third season so journey with us as we talk with local, statewide and even national non-profit executive directors and how they are out there making positive impacts in their communities. The new season starts mid-May and will continue bi-weekly from there. Check it out on our website or wherever you like to get your podcasts.

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with co-executive directors Suzi Wyman and Barb McKessy of It's a Breast Thing. They talk about the journey to becoming a true non-profit,  how their volunteers are their biggest advocates, and facing the difficult job that they have by knowing that what they do truly helps others in their time of need.   The mission of It's a B...

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with Dr. Farhan Bhatti, CEO and Medical Director of Care Fred Medical Center. They talk about why he fell in love with the mission, how he got collaborations from both major hospital systems to work,  and finally getting a federal designation to provide more resources.    The mission of Care Free Medical Center is to provid...

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with Pam Miklavcic, the executive director of The Davies Project. They talk about starting a non-profit from the kitchen table, why she chose kids as the community they serve, and the benefits of starting a non-profit in the Lansing community.    The mission of The Davies Project is to connect families to resources and the commu...

In this episode of Mission Control the conversation with Ozay Moore executive director of All of the Above Hip Hop Academy revolves around developing a first-time non-profit, gaining traction and legitimacy, and creating a legacy.    All of the Above Hip Hop Academy is a non-profit organization made up of artists, educators, and advocates that mentor youth, support artistic expression an...